Stabilization of Light crude in Wellhead locations
Stabilization of Light crude in Wellhead locations
(OP)
Guys, this might not be the right forum but still being a refinery person forced to work on a wellhead crude stabilization project simulation, I want to know how to reduce the RVP of light crude to about 5psig using only gas-oil separators? In refinery stabilizers, we always went for a distillation column at high temperatures. How do we do this in field using temperatures below 50 Deg C? Even flashing to flare pressure gives RVP higher than 15 in my simulator!!





RE: Stabilization of Light crude in Wellhead locations
being more of an upstream guy I might be able to help. Typically to achieve RVP specification you need to do a combination of:
Heat to a temperature above ambient
Flash off at lowest pressure achievable to allow for pressure drops thereafter
Recool if necessary to get below any design temperatures
If the crude is above ambient conditions when it arrives then a low pressure stage flash should normally be enough to achieve RVP specification, since thereafter it will cool, if it is below ambient then you will probably have to heat it.
In any case if you need to seperate water from this crude heating may be required.
RE: Stabilization of Light crude in Wellhead locations
RE: Stabilization of Light crude in Wellhead locations
The RVP wont change when cooling because its a reference value.
Simulators usually predics a higher RVP than what is measured. I dont know why but i suspect it has something to do with the way samples are collected/treated.
Best regard
RE: Stabilization of Light crude in Wellhead locations
Let us have some good hot spicy discussion on this with some feedback from the great designers like MonteMeyer, 25362, SSHEP and TD2K!!
RE: Stabilization of Light crude in Wellhead locations
RE: Stabilization of Light crude in Wellhead locations
Typically we need something around 80°C + to achieve those kinds of RVP specifications, it depends on how many C3s and C4s you have in the crude. Im afraid you just need more heat. Stripping is not normally used as always everything offshore is kept as simple as possible. Remember that if you are taking to these temperatures you'll probably end up needing epoxy lining or glass flake in your last stage seperator
RE: Stabilization of Light crude in Wellhead locations
What caught my attention was that 15 psig is a pretty high RVP especially at 50 deg C and atm.
I actually usually sees RVP in bara since my HYSYS is set up for "metric" units,
Best regards
Morten
RE: Stabilization of Light crude in Wellhead locations
A minor point: It's not hard to define (and save as the default) options in Hysys to change the standard units to English. You can even do your own definitions for selected sub-sets of properties. For example, specify viscosity in cP, or standard volume flow in BBL/Hr, while using the "standard" units for everything else.
RE: Stabilization of Light crude in Wellhead locations
(an excuse for being lazy
Best regard
Morten
RE: Stabilization of Light crude in Wellhead locations
Thank you